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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: swing · arm · content · suit · deal · spring · spell · fall

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. fall — to drop
  3. swing — in golf
  4. suit — to fit
  5. content — happy
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spring — of water
  9. suit — in cards
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fall — to drop
  12. suit — clothes
  13. swing — music
  14. spring — a coil
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fall — the season
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. content — the amount
  20. spring — the season
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. swing — to play on
  24. spell — letters

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com